


Cheesy and Boring

by mansikka



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-27 13:28:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17767655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mansikka/pseuds/mansikka
Summary: Alec and Magnus spend Valentine's Day together in possibly the most boring of ways.





	Cheesy and Boring

**Author's Note:**

> Um. Don't expect much from this. Honestly. Those of you who are allergic to fluff should really not read any further; this thing is repulsive :)

"Why are you smiling?" Magnus asks as he rushes through to the lounge, fingers up at the back of his hair sure it's still wet from his shower. He's a little annoyed with himself for finishing later than expected, hating that any part of their evening might now be rushed. Not that they've planned anything extravagant, of course.

"Nothing," Alec says, writing something on his phone before pushing it into his pocket and turning to Magnus, looking him over with a smile. "Just Izzy."

"Let me guess. She thinks we're going to Paris for some romantic spectacle of a dinner this evening."

"Not even close," Alec replies, laughing as he tugs Magnus to him. "Something about a gondola in Venice under the stars."

"Something?"

"Well," Alec says, leaning in to steal a kiss, "she has some very odd ideas about how you'd magic it to kind of... float. Or something."

Magnus hums in amusement, leaning against Alec's chest. "Catarina thinks we are going to Tokyo to recreate our first date there."

"It was a good night," Alec says, leaning in to kiss him, and just like that Magnus is transported, back to their start.

How could they ever have avoided becoming what they are now? Their first glances for one another had been like stars aligning, like everything falling into place at the same time. All the cliches that were meant for everyone but him Magnus has now seen, felt, and experienced for meeting and being with Alec. All their difficulties, arguments, and problems that had nothing to do with them have proved nothing more than just tiny bumps in the road. They might not have felt like anything so minor at the time, but looking back on them now Magnus thinks they should have known they meant nothing. He and Alec are the only true certainty he thinks he's ever known.

"It was," Magnus agrees, now nostalgic and wanting to look over all their photos and mementos over the years; especially that strip of candid shots they'd taken in that Tokyo photo booth so long ago.

"Jace says thank you—again—for getting he and Clary into that restaurant," Alec adds, claiming another kiss before nodding towards the kitchen and taking his hand.

"Yes. I had an almost-polite message from him earlier about it wanting to go over the menu. Apparently, he was horrified to realize the entire thing was in French."

" _Almost polite_?" Alec asks, already at the fridge and pulling out a bottle of their favorite champagne.

"You know Jace."

"Blunt. Sarcastic. Straight to the point?" Alec says, frowning as the champagne bottle won't cooperate with him.

"The very same."

"He still says you're his favorite brother-in-law," Alec says, finally pouring them a glass now he's wrestled the cork from the bottle.

"I would remind him that, at this point, technically I am still his _only_ brother-in-law, but that's… sweet. I suppose."

Alec laughs, clinking their glasses together and taking a sip before putting his glass down on the counter and rolling up his sleeves. "I grated the cheese earlier when I came back for lunch to speed things up. Thank you for the soup, by the way."

"It was the least I could do considering I couldn't join you for lunch," Magnus replies, pulling out the ingredients they need to make macaroni cheese. Alec woke up this morning saying he could taste it, and once he'd put the thought in Magnus' mind it was the only thing he wanted for dinner. That it's quick, and easy, and means they have time to indulge in each other this evening instead of fussing over a stove is an added bonus.

Magnus snaps his fingers for some music, squeezing Alec's waist and kissing his shoulder as he prepares the cheese sauce. He doesn't comment that this is a recipe that Alec has now perfected, that he doesn't rely on _instructions_  for like he once did with that awful stew. They've both grown more confident in the kitchen cooking by hand. Magnus might not enjoy the act of putting together a meal as much as he does some of the other mundane tasks he indulges in from time to time, but watching Alec enjoy it is one of his favorite things to do.

Alec tells him about his day, almost in hysterics for recounting a story about two Shadowhunters getting amorous in the infirmary and Underhill walking in on them. Alec is a _tease_. He still puts on this stern front for the team of Shadowhunters working for him, keeping his praise to a minimum and his smiles almost non-existent for anyone but his closest friends. The entire New York Institute thinks he is a miserable bastard when it comes to holidays, and especially days like today. Alec is gleeful when he recounts these two Shadowhunters coming into his office to apologize and the looks on their faces when he sat there eating the heart shaped cookie Magnus had sent him earlier.

"Alexander. They are all probably aware that you are a romantic _sap_ ," Magnus tells him in reproach. "You are fooling no one."

"Would you just let me have my fun?" Alec retorts, backing him up against a counter with a raised eyebrow and wicked smile.

"When have I ever stopped you from having your fun?"

"Well—"

"And I _like_ that you are a romantic sap," Magnus adds before Alec can continue, sweeping his hands over his back. "Thank you for the roses. And the card. And having those chocolates sent to my meeting with Luke was particularly appreciated. Even if he did attempt to steal half the box."

Alec grins in triumph. He's looked through Magnus' agenda on his desk and picked out the meetings he can get away with such gestures for, as he has done for the past few years. Alec is constantly creative with these things, never failing to surprise Magnus with the lengths he'll go to, just to make him smile.

"Yes, well. It's not like you're not the same. Not like I don't have a two-foot card covered in red glitter sat at the end of my desk right now, is it?"

Magnus grins back with his own triumph. "You put it on your desk?"

"Absolutely."

"How did you keep a straight face when you were reprimanding young Shadowhunters for being overly… affectionate?"

"I don't think it was _affectionate_ they were being," Alec says, groaning. "Underhill made some gestures to… _explain_ exactly what they were doing. I never want to see that gesture again—from anyone. Maybe you."

Magnus drops his head on to Alec's shoulder and laughs, squeezing him into a quick hug before he has to return to the stove. Magnus spins away to preheat the oven having forgotten to earlier. Though all he can picture now is Alec with _that_ face sat at his desk with that purposefully obnoxious card twinkling beside him, explaining to members of his team why they couldn't make out in the infirmary.

"Can we eat on the balcony?" Alec asks when he's slid the tray of macaroni cheese into the oven and set the timer. He waves his hand like he does for telling Magnus to use his magic, giving an extra flourish of his fingers just because he knows it will make him laugh.

Magnus snags his fingers and kisses the back of his hand. "Of course."

"I think I've forgotten what _Spring_ feels like," Alec adds as he tops up their glasses then trails behind Magnus to stand in the balcony's doorway.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic."

"Magnus. It's freezing out here."

Magnus smiles, pulsing his magic to create a space for them on the balcony that is warm and sheltered from the occasional snow still falling. He decorates a table with a snap of his fingers, adding the final touch of fairy lights. Alec pretends to roll his eyes for it but kisses him in thanks as he steps out, wrapping an arm around his waist from behind.

"Just think. In a few years, it might be _you_ who is doing this."

"Doing what?"

"Keeping us warm," Magnus says, leaning back into Alec's embrace.

"I thought I already did that," Alec replies, mouthing up his neck.

Magnus closes his eyes and smiles, only ducking his head when Alec blows on the exact spot he knows tickles most. "Well, with magic, then."

Alec's impending immortality is the best kind of elephant in the room. They don't talk about it too much, and yet sometimes it feels like it's all they talk about. There are still a few things to prepare for it, but the few years they agreed on waiting for him to do it have passed far quicker than either of them could have imagined. They're both excited for it, for what it will bring them, and both sad for what it will mean for everyone else. But the thought of having Alec forever lets Magnus be selfish like he never has been in his entire life.

"Well. If that's the case, then you'd better be cooking. I can't do magic _and_ make dinner as well."

"I'll order take out," Magnus retorts immediately, earning himself a snort of laughter into his neck.

"Cheating."

"I'll order your _favorite_ take out."

"...acceptable."

Magnus leans his head back against Alec's shoulder and hums, watching New York beneath them under a flurry of snow. "We could have gone anywhere, you know. Paris, Venice, Tokyo; wherever you wanted."

"Magnus," Alec says, squeezing him after he's put his glass down on the balcony ledge. "How many hundreds of Valentine's Days will we have to spend together ahead of us?"

More than he can count. More than he ever thought he'd get to have with anyone. "Lots," Magnus settles for saying, turning in Alec's arms.

"And how many have we had already, where we've rushed, or gone away somewhere, and not just… done nothing?"

"Well. This doesn't technically count as _nothing_."

Alec nods, cupping his face to kiss him. "No. It isn't _nothing_. But it's very… us."

"Alexander," Magnus says, leaning back and pretending to pout. "Are you telling me that we are already _boring_ together?"

"Are you telling me our nights home together are _boring_?" Alec replies, full of indignation; even if his eyes are dancing with laughter.

Magnus hides his own laughter in Alec's shoulder, laughing harder when he hears an exasperated sigh. "No," he says when he looks back up. "I'm not saying that at all."

"Then, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying, that I'm looking forward to every moment I get to share with you. Wherever and however we spend them. Valentine's Day or otherwise. Boring or not."

Alec grins, slotting his fingers together behind Magnus' back and tugging him closer. "And you call me a sap…"

"I do. Because you are. And I love you for it."

"Well, I love you for it, too."

Magnus tries so hard not to laugh again but fails, earning him kisses peppered over his face that just makes things even worse.

"Too much?" Alec says, laughing at himself.

"I suppose when you took my last name, you took all of them…"

"Hey. You took mine too, remember?"

"And look where that has got me," Magnus says with a dramatic hand pressed against his chest. He backs away from Alec as he does it because he knows that look, he knows he's going to tickle him, and he's only put up magic to prevent them getting cold; not to hide his shrieks of laughter as he tries to escape.

He darts behind him making it three steps back into the apartment before Alec is tackling him to the couch. They both fight to pin the other one down but end up in a breathless heap for laughing so hard. Alec has lost a sock in their scuffle, and in the process ripped three buttons off Magnus' shirt.

"Sorry," Alec says not meaning it at all, adjusting so he's more on Magnus' lap as he plucks at the holes he's made.

"You should be. You normally only ruin my shirts like that when we're doing something far more... _arduous_."

" _Arduous_?" Alec repeats with further indignation. Magnus stretches up to quickly kiss away his mock scowl.

"Yes," Magnus agrees as he strokes over Alec's thighs and runs a thumb up the fly of his pants, "you are _exhausting_."

"Oh. Well then you won't want to be _arduous_ with me now, then, huh?" Alec retorts, rocking in his lap just enough to make Magnus have to _think_ before responding.

"Oh. I want to be _arduous_ with you all the time… but perhaps we should wait until after our dinner, hmm? Which smells amazing, by the way."

Alec whines in complaint then calls out in protest as Magnus flips him on to his back without warning, struggling against him and grinning when he can't move. "Why do you always have to have the last word?"

"This wasn't really a _word_ —"

Alec kisses him quiet, stretching out the full length of the couch beneath him. Magnus falls between his thighs balancing himself on Alec's shoulders, humming as Alec sweeps his hands over his back.

"I didn't like this shirt anyway," Alec says, helping him out of it and dropping it on the floor beside them.

"No?"

"No. Too many buttons."

"Well. That certainly isn't a problem _now_ ," Magnus replies, snapping his fingers to rid Alec of his shirt.

"I'll make it up to you," Alec promises as he arches against him, sweeping his hands down over his ass.

"Oh. You will," Magnus agrees as he rolls his hips, smiling for the glee in Alec's eyes. Though his expression then softens, and Alec darts his eyes over his face in thought, his smile only widening. "What is it?"

Alec shakes his head, reaching up to push back the hair falling from Magnus' forehead that he hasn't bothered to style after his shower. "Nothing. I'm just… happy to be here, with you, like this. We didn't need to go anywhere, or do anything; not for today."

"No, we didn't. But Happy Valentine's Day anyway."

"Happy Valentine's Day," Alec repeats, leaning up for a kiss.

The oven timer will interrupt them soon, and Alec's belt buckle is starting to hurt where it's digging into Magnus' stomach. They both have early starts in the morning, and probably won't have much free time together for the rest of the week. So this, this is perfect. Alec will raise his hands in celebration at his own joke about being cheesy when he takes their dinner out of the oven, and Magnus will pretend to be revolted when Alec tries to serve it in the shape of a heart. Magnus will tell him one of his many stories as they're eating, and if it's one he's heard before, Alec will repeat it back to him, word for word, gesturing with his fork.

Magnus knows this much, can predict the rest of their evening, though whatever else is coming for them he hasn't got a clue about. He doesn't care, not too much, anyway. Whatever they will face in their future they'll do it, like always, side by side. Including all the cheesy and boring Valentine's Days life can throw at them. He can't wait for every single one.


End file.
